Why the Cayenne Has Our Attention

Lately, my family has been reconsidering our next car, even as we’ve been rediscovering everything we love about the Panamera. My husband, though, has been saying for a while, “The Cayenne really is a fantastic car…”

He wasn’t always a fan of SUVs, but one test drive in a Cayenne last year was all it took to win him over. His enthusiasm for the Cayenne hasn’t faded since.

I’ve told him, “The Cayenne is an amazing car, but I’ve always preferred sedans to SUVs.” After that, he stopped bringing it up… at least for a while.

After seeing the Taycan and test-driving the Continental GT, I started thinking it might be a good opportunity to explore a few different options. A sporty SUV like the Cayenne, with room for five adults to travel in comfort, began to sound pretty appealing. That was when my husband sent me a link, saying:

“I was browsing the Cayenne website and came across this video.”

It turned out to be a video introducing the Cayenne, presented by Alexander Kwarz(Alex), Product Manager at Porsche Japan. The video was unlisted, but it was on Porsche Japan’s YouTube channel, so perhaps Porsche Japan has now launched an official channel.

The Cayenne: An SUV from a Sports Car Maker

The video is about six minutes long. Here’s a quick summary of what Alex covers.

① Design

Sports car DNA is evident not only in the exterior design, but in the interior as well. The center console rises gently toward the front, placing its controls within easy reach of the driver.

Features such as Direct Touch Control give the cabin a modern feel.

At the center of the instrument panel is an analog rev counter, flanked by 7-inch digital displays. With the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel, you can access all kinds of information(including navigation maps).

② Performance

The Cayenne is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 single-turbo engine producing 250 kW (320 PS) and 450 Nm of torque. Its eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission is well matched to the engine, delivering smooth gear changes.

The Cayenne also features three-chamber air suspension. Adjusting the settings lets you enjoy anything from sporty handling to a comfortable ride. It reduces body roll and gives the Cayenne handling that’s hard to believe in an SUV.

Rear-axle steering is available as an option, further enhancing both comfort and sporty handling.

③ Comfort

Porsche sees sports car performance and comfort not as opposing ideas, but as qualities that should both be part of a sports car. The Cayenne is built to let five adults travel long distances in comfort.

It also offers a high level of safety. Lane Change Assist, ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), and ParkAssist with Surround View are all standard.

That’s the video in a nutshell. And I have to say, Alex speaks Japanese remarkably well. The video is featured on Porsche Japan’s Cayenne website.

Cayenne or Taycan?

I imagine the channel will share all sorts of useful information, so I’ll be keeping an eye on it.

My husband has been letting his imagination run wild with the Cayenne lately, even spending time with the Cayenne Coupe configurator.

What should come after the Panamera? When we think about timing, the Taycan may still be a little way off. Should we sell the Panamera now and wait, switch to a Cayenne, or consider something else entirely? My husband seems to be exploring every possibility. One thing’s for sure: choosing a car is really hard.